Job offer

Applications are invited for 15 fully funded Doctoral Candidate positions within INSIGHT, a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Network funded by the European Union under Horizon Europe. INSIGHT will train a new generation of researchers in optical integrated sensing and communication, aiming towards compatibility by design, by combining expertise in optical communications, distributed fibre sensing, photonic integration, frequency combs, structured light, digital signal processing, machine learning, network optimisation and industrial sensing applications.

Each Doctoral Candidate will undertake an individual research project within a coordinated international and intersectoral 36-month programme. The programme includes advanced scientific training, transferable-skills development, secondments at academic and industrial partners, joint workshops and network meetings, international conferences, and training in research integrity, open science, innovation, communication, entrepreneurship and intellectual property.

The selected candidates will be employed by the relevant INSIGHT recruiting beneficiaries and enrolled in a doctoral programme at the designated degree-awarding institution, subject to its admission requirements.

Available Projects/Positions, Eligible applicants will be assessed through an open, transparent and merit-based process appropriate to their career stage. Publication history is not mandatory, and career breaks and non-linear career paths will be considered relative to opportunity. Selection will follow a two-step procedure.

Step 1: Written Assessment, based on the candidate’s CV, motivation letter and other documented merits

• Academic preparation and relevant knowledge, 60%
• Relevant research/technical experience 30%
• Motivation and other merits 10%

Candidates shortlisted for one or more of the available positions after step 1 will be contacted for one or more interviews

Step 2: Interview and final decision

Shortlisted candidates will complete a structured online interview and, where deemed appropriate, a short practical assessment. The panel will establish an appointable ranking and reserve list. INSIGHT may re-advertise a position if no candidate meets the required standard. Some of the individual institutions might legally require the candidates to undergo additional steps in the selection process, according to local regulations. Additional comments

The overarching goal of this project is to investigate a sub/system-level framework for the generation, characterization and optimization of agile optical frequency combs (OFCs) to be employed in O-ISAC systems. This will entail the validation (numerical and experimental) of reconfigurable multi-carrier signals for high-capacity transmission and high-resolution fiber sensing., Master Degree or equivalent, Master Degree or equivalent

Research Field Other

Education Level Master Degree or equivalent, Candidates must hold a master’s degree or equivalent qualification giving access to doctoral education, obtained before employment and enrolment. See below the Elegibility Criteria for more information.

• A relevant background in physics, photonics, optics, electrical/electronic or communication engineering, computer or data science, applied mathematics, signal processing, control engineering, or another closely related discipline, as specified for the position.
• Sufficient spoken and written English for doctoral research, training and scientific publication. A certificate is required only where mandated by the doctoral-awarding institution.
• Readiness to work at the recruiting location, undertake international and intersectoral secondments, and attend INSIGHT training and consortium events., * A master’s degree or equivalent qualification giving access to doctoral education, obtained before employment and enrolment.
• A relevant background in physics, photonics, optics, electrical/electronic or communication engineering, computer or data science, applied mathematics, signal processing, control engineering, or another closely related discipline, as specified for the position.
• Sufficient spoken and written English for doctoral research, training and scientific publication. A certificate is required only where mandated by the doctoral-awarding institution.
• Readiness to work at the recruiting location, undertake international and intersectoral secondments, and attend INSIGHT training and consortium events.

Specific requirements for the individual positions

• Please check specific requirements for each available position, described on the recruitment portal, https://insight-recruitment.csic.es/ to ensure you are eligible.

Selection process

Candidates may apply for up to three INSIGHT positions and must rank them in order of preference. Applications must be submitted in English through the application portal. Email applications will not be considered unless this alternative method has been agreed as a reasonable accommodation., * Motivation statement addressing the selected project or projects.

• Bachelor’s and master’s degree certificates, or equivalent, and academic transcripts.
• Completed MSCA mobility chronology and doctoral-status declaration.

DC8 - Structured-Light Fiber System for Simultaneous High-Speed Communication and Distributed Sensing This doctoral project will develop a fibre-based system that uses structured light, such as vortex and cylindrical vector beams, for simultaneous high-speed communication and distributed sensing. The work combines laser development, mode-selective amplification and experimental validation over a 5 km fibre link Recruiting host: Tampere University Location: Tampere, Finland PhD institution: Tampere University

DC9 - AI-Driven Reconstruction of Complex Multimode Optical Fields for Advanced Photonic Sensing This doctoral project will develop a physics-aware machine-learning framework to reconstruct and interpret complex spatio-spectral optical fields in multimode fibers. The work combines digital holography, numerical propagation modelling and AI-based inversion to enable more sensitive and higher-resolution fiber sensing of environmental changes such as strain, bending and temperature, Employers: CSIC, Dublin City University, Politecnico di Torino, Tampere University, Technical University of Denmark, Uptech Sensing, Somni Solutions, Pilot Photonics or Nokia, depending on the position.

Contract: Full-time temporary employment contract for 36 months, subject to national law and institutional rules

Gross salary offered: As determined by EU MSCA regulations, excluding employer social contributions. Specific gross salaries are listed within each project description on the recruitment portal, and might vary from country to country as the MSCA programme adjusts salaries according to local cost of living.

Deductions: The published amount includes employee taxes and social-security contributions and is subject to compulsory deductions under the law of each destination country.

Family allowance:

Candidates might be eligible for an additional family allowance. The estimated net salary depends on the successful candidate’s individual tax, social-security and personal circumstances and cannot be guaranteed in advance. The candidate will also benefit from social-security coverage and paid leave in accordance with local law, access to research infrastructure, doctoral and network-wide training, secondments, and relocation or immigration support where available. Eligibility criteria

Applicants may be of any nationality and must meet all applicable MSCA and doctoral-admission conditions.

Doctoral status

• Applicants must not hold a doctoral degree at the date of recruitment. Cases involving a defended thesis but a degree not yet formally awarded will be assessed under the applicable MSCA rules.
• The selected candidate must satisfy the admission and enrolment requirements of the designated doctoral programme.

MSCA mobility rule

• Applicants must not have resided or carried out their main activity, such as work or studies, in the destination country for the specific position they are applying to, for more than 12 months during the 36 months immediately before the recruitment date, subject to the exact wording and exceptions in the applicable MSCA rules.
• The relevant country is the country of the recruiting beneficiary, not the applicant’s nationality, the doctoral-awarding institution’s country or a planned secondment country.
• Applicants must submit a complete residence and main-activity chronology. Eligibility will be checked during selection and again immediately before recruitment.